Chapter Twenty-Eight
Grady tiltedLinx’s head to the side, deepening the kiss. His emotions soared and plunged whenever he was in her orbit, and his body ignited on contact—plain andsimple.
This wild and wonderful woman was the mother of his child—his flesh and blood. Even though he was the black sheep of his family, the one who acted as if family ties didn’t matter, he was still a Hart, through and through, and despite it all, they loved him and he lovedthem.
Which was why he needed to call them and let them know he was back. He’d lost his cell phone, and he had a gloriously hot woman in his arms—one who’d said she didn’t want to sleep with him anymore, but was now kissing him with everything shehad.
Catching his breath, he broke the kiss—barely, and whispered, “You okay withthis?”
He felt, rather than saw, her nod. Her breathing was hot and heavy as she captured his lips, tugging ruthlessly on his lower lip, then plunging her tongue deep into hismouth.
He’d checked for consent, and she hadn’t put a stop to it, so it was all systemsgo.
Once, he’d almost fallen in love with this spitfire, and his immaturity and Salem’s treachery had screwed everything up—turned him into a bitter, resentful male, distrustful anddetached.
That was then, and this wasnow.
Being a father was serious business, and getting this woman to be truly his wasn’t going to beeasy.
Heck, nothing about Linx Colson waseasy.
Which was just the way he likedher.
“Trailer or truck?” he muttered in between devouring herlips.
“Trailer.” She moaned urgently as she ran her hands down his chest. “Is this going to be different? Arewe?”
“Yes.” He gazed into her warm brown eyes, darkened with emotion. “It’s completely different. I want this. Want you. Onlyyou.”
“Grady …” She spoke his name like a prayer. “From now on, I’m not taking the back seat. If this isn’t real, I don’t want any ofit.”
“My thoughts exactly. I’ve lost so much. No more regrets.” He lifted her, and her long legs wrapped themselves around hiswaist.
They crashed through the small trailer door, disengaged enough to crawl up into the loft above the fifth wheel and smashed themselves onto the thinmattress.
He’d never been able to control the explosive heat between them, and from the way she writhed and moaned as she wiggled out of her clothing, neither couldshe.
She unbuttoned his shirt and he ripped it off, then shrugged out of his T-shirt. Her gaze fixed on him, hopeful but sharp. She wasn’t a baby doll, innocent and naïve. The suspicion was still there, masked behind lust anddesire.
Smoothing a strand of hair from her forehead, he kissed her gently, then rested himself face to face, needing to reassureher.
“I’m taking my stand here, with you. I’m not ever leaving unless you want me to go. You gotit?”
She nodded, yet the doubtful expression still marred her furrowed brow. “I want to believe you. But are you sticking with me because you want Jessie back? If we can’t get Jessie back, will youleave?”
“No. I won’t leaveyou.”
Her lips quivered and she touched his cheek. “What if Salem has your child? What if she’s alive and you find out she has your child? Would you leave me forher?”
“No, but would you still want me? I’ve screwed up my life by playing around. I don’t know what I was thinking. Thought I could shirk responsibility, be the opposite of my family, run away and be free—all thatcrap.”
“You’re like me.” She palmed his jaw, stroking his beard fuzz. “Scared to commit. Better to be free and lonely than gethurt.”
“Yeah, exactly right.” He kissed her hand. “Except we both managed to get hurt anyway. I figure if we can’t stay away from each other, then we might as well stop hurting eachother.”
“Sounds sensible, but can we really keep this up? This niceness? This togetherness? What happens if we can’t get Jessie back? Will you blameme?”
He ran his hand up and down her bare back and held her close, pressing her belly against his jeans. “I’ll blame myself for letting yougo.”
